AI War:Nuclear Eye

A Nuclear Eye is an enormously powerful nuclear device which can only be detonated by overload directly from the AI's warp grid. The AI will only attempt to use the device when player ships gang up on the AI overwhelmingly (more than 2 to 1). The only efficient way to kill the Eye (without killing the planet) is by destroying all of the non-wormhole guard posts of the AI on this planet, so you'll need to do guerrilla-style raids until it dies automatically with the last such guard post. When fully charged, the Nuclear Eye will detonate and destroy everything (that isn't immune to nukes) on the planet, including the command station, and incur the usual +50 AIP for detonation of a nuclear warhead. Nothing of value will remain.

How to counter when in the AI fleet

This Eye is by far the most annoying of all, as if the AI Command Station is destroyed, or you bring too many ships, it will explode with the force of a MkI Nuclear Missile, with all the disadvantages it implies.

N.B. If you are taking over an AI planet anyway, there appears to be an alternative to killing every guard-post on the planet. If one has supply on the planet, they can kill the command station and build their own. The AI Eye will then self-destruct regardless of other guard-posts still living at this time.

Moving some of your fleet into Transports will generally halt the deluge of ships from an Eye.